Page 44 of The Gentleman's Seduction
“Yes. She’s nothing like him. I—”
“How the devil did you become involved with Hartwell’s daughter?” Helen asked, her tone a little shaky.
“I saw him at the Argyll Rooms a few weeks ago, and I wanted to take from him what he took from me. I won a large debt off him that I knew he could not pay, then went to collect. I had every intention of throwing him out into the street, just as he did to us, but then I saw Livvy and—”
“Livvy. That’s her name?”
“Yes. I saw her and it was as though I was struck by lightning. My breath was knocked from my lungs. When she offered to trade herself for her father’s debt, I couldn’t say no.”
“Martin…” Helen looked away, unable to face him. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“I know. Believe me, Helen, I know just how wretched a thing it was to do, but I adore her and I can’t let her go.”
“No,” Helen said firmly. “Youcanlet her go. Either do the honorable thing and take her as your wife or send her home. Life as a man’s mistress will never be enough for her, and if she is as smart and lovely as you say, she deserves a better life than the one you are condemning her to. If you care about her at all, you cannot do this to her.”
She was right. Life as a mistress would take its toll on Livvy. At some point it would extinguish the fire in her that he loved so much.
“Send her home after we leave. Then join us for Christmas.”
Martin swallowed hard, but it felt like he couldn’t breathe. Send Livvy home? He didn’t want to. But his sister was right.
“You must do it, Martin. For her sake. If you care about her at all, you will do what’s best for her.”
“Yes,” he agreed quietly. There was an awful stillness inside him when he thought of being alone in this house once more. No more laughter. No more sweet moments in the dark in his bed. No more shared breakfasts and reading together in the library.
Helen stood and smiled sadly. “I’ll find Gareth and the children and we’ll leave you. Please do come, once you can. We want to spend Christmas with you.”
“I will come,” he promised.
“Good.” Helen embraced him, and then she left to find her family in the hothouse.
Martin wasn’t sure how long he remained in the drawing room thinking, but at last he went to find Livvy. It was best to make a quick break. Send her home now before he could dream up a dozen excuses to keep her there with him.
He found Livvy in her room, curled up on the bed.Northanger Abbeywas in her hands. But he could see that she wasn’t reading because her eyes weren’t moving from the first page.
“Livvy.” He spoke her name, dread forming a dark pit in the stomach. Was this the last time he would see her? The last time he might speak her name?
“Martin, what’s the matter?” She closed the book and slipped off the bed, coming toward him.
He had to be strong. He couldn’t let her know how much he didn’t want to do this. If she saw a crack in his shell and she felt about him the way he did her, then she might refuse to leave. And living as his mistress would only crush her spirit over time.
“Livvy, you must be ready to leave in an hour. A maid will pack your things.” The words cut him like knives.
“What?” She reached out a hand to touch him, but he stepped back.
If she dares to touch me now…
“I have decided to forgive your father his debt and free you from your obligations. You’re going home. I wouldn’t want you to miss the holidays with your family.” He spun and left the room, closing the door to put some space between them. When she didn’t come after him, that hurt more than he expected. Maybe she didn’t feel the same about him after all. He found Harris downstairs and motioned for the butler to join him in his study.
“Miss Hartwell is to go home in an hour. Please have a maid pack her up and summon the carriage.”
Harris’s eyes widened. “Leaving? Sir, may I have leave to speak frankly?”
Martin nodded, though he had a suspicion that he knew what his butler would say.
“Everyone on the staff adores Miss Hartwell, and I suspect you might as well. Must you send her away?”
Martin was quiet a long moment before he answered. Harris had been with him many years, and his loyalty and confidence were beyond reproach. The man deserved the truth, at least part of it.
